dsmperformance

EVO alternative? Never ever will a Neon be an alternative to the EVO or any other rally machine! It might be cheap and all, but you get what you pay for!

Turboniam

Here "has" been my take on the SRT-4/EVO thing for months.

The SRT-4, even though it is a Neon, still gets respect in my book... why, because it performs. It totally blows away the 1g & 2g DSMs stock vs stock (SRT-4 high 13/low 14 vs DSM high 14/low 15).

The SRT-4 is the equivelant to the now gone 2g DSM FWD. Meaning it is like the 2g DSM lives on in a new car.

The EVO is the equivelant to the now gone 2g DSM AWD. Meaning it is like being able to buy the next "evolution" of DSM AWD cars.

Both the SRT and EVO have considerable hp output gains compared to the DSM FWD & AWD cars.

Although the EVO and SRT trap really close to eachother, with good drivers, the AWD EVO will blow the doors off the SRT by at least a good half second 1/4 time if not more... however, there is nothing wrong with the SRT... nice car for under $20K that has similar/equal performance to the 97 older V8 LT1 Camaro/Firebirds.

In the end though, it would be better to just buy a WRX for a little more cash to get the AWD, but drivetrain aside, I like the SRT alot!

Jonasan50

iTrader: (1)

Negative roger on the SRT-4.... Myself and many others saw one at the Tower Shops on Friday night and everybody was laughing at the car... Sorry man, it's still a Neon... As for tuning ability, it still has to be shown what the motor can accomplish.. The EVO is proven...

MalibuJack

iTrader: (5)

Let me contribute my 2 cents.. I cancelled a Deposit on an SRT-4 for an EVO.. Basically it was a really close decision for me because it wasn't about the money. AWD is what sold the EVO, from a performance standpoint, you can fairly easily get about 300hp out of the Neons 2.4, it has about the same performance potential as the EVO, but if your a street racer like most of us, AWD will put the power to the ground in real life situations, and thats where it will make the biggest difference, all the horsepower in the world is useless if you can't get it to move your car. Smokey burnouts and wheelspin sure look cool, but the guy with traction will be putting your cash in his pockets.

Jack

broeli

iTrader: (19)

The Neon chassis is actually a good chassis. Anyone ever seen a Neon ACR perform? The SRT probably offers the best performance for the money. It is around 4-5k cheaper than a WRX. The Spec-V, Si, Focus SVT, MP3, etc. which are about the same price aren't even close to the same performance level.
On another note, I'm really skeptical with any Dodge/Chrysler product. I've owned several in recent years and have not been very impressed with their reliability. The only domestic product I've been happy with is Ford.

YellwTyper

iTrader: (1)

You guys do have a point about a Neon not being an alternative for an Evo, but you can't really be biased towards it at all. It's not that bad of a car, and hell look how much it costs. You have to remember not everybody has money to buy nice cars, and if you can only affoard the below 20k rage, then I'd say the Neon would prob be your best choice.

MalibuJack

iTrader: (5)

Hey, I could afford either, and my original choice was the Neon.. I already own a very quick neon, but FWD on the street SUCKS when your racing.. Even with a slushbox auto and sticky tires, I've lost races to cars that are known to be slower on the street, why? Stoplight to stoplight isnt always a quarter mile, and the holeshot usually gets the bragging rights also, gotta admit a smokey burnout on a FWD car is just scary why block your own vision with smoke???? On the track my 95 car does 14.1 and its really only bolt-ons and massaging, no turbo, no nitrous, just a loose converter, sticky tires, cam, ECU, Exhaust, and a custom PLASTIC intake based on the stock one with a 5th injector.

GSXTREME95

Is the turbo neon still using the 420A engine??? In my opinion that engine is strong. I have a few friends running turbos on that engine (Eclipses) with stock internals and they are holding together fairly well.

The SRT/4 I think is a good option if one cant go over 20K on a car. Of course for another 3k and a WRX will be a much better choice.

Coolguy949

iTrader: (10)

Haha, I was just about to ask the same thing!

MalibuJack

iTrader: (5)

The 420A motor is a 2 liter.. the new engine is a 2.4 liter, Essentially its a redesigned version of the 420A, there is some interchange between the motors, but very little. There is an Engine Swap motor mount for the 2.4 into a 2.0 car, technically that would give you the starting point to swap a 2.4 turbo into the older neon, or even the first gen non-turbo Laser/Eclipse/Talon which also had the 420a

silvrvr6

Ok where did you test a neon sr4-t at? And why the hell are they discounting it $2500????? This might be a bs post, I heard the srt-4 isnt due out till early summer.

Anyways the srt-4 has 223hp according to scc. This means what ??????250+hp... For $17500..... I personally think the srt-4 would be just as fun as the evo for me.
This is hwere all you kids who could never afford an evo8 put their 2cents in and say"hey you can mod the hell out of the evo, and race up and down the streets at 110mph and beat any other car in a race"

So go ahead and chime in,,,,,, the srt-4 would be hard to pass on for $17500...... if this is even true???

MalibuJack

iTrader: (5)

Ok.. there are some SRT-4's in some areas.. Florida and California are seeing them already.. However the Rebate is incorrect, they are not considering the car a NEON, therefore it isn't part of the rebate/discount program. And the price is 19,995 or something very close to that, 17K is approximately invoice, and you won't get it at invoice, but MSRP... However there are very few price gouging deales for the car because its being monitored by Chrysler. And its a great car for the money. Just turned off by the wait and lack of info when I had my deposit on the car. And of course, AWD was what brought me to the EVO.

Coolguy949

iTrader: (10)

Doh! I didnt even think of that. I should have asked is it the 4G64 engine used on the new eclipse 4cyl (i think it's the 4G64 - working off the top of my head here heheh)? I beleive the non-turbo 2G covertible eclipses had it too.

My girlfriend's dad has been researching the SRT-4 for a while now. He called me a few days ago telling me that a local dealer here has 10 of them in stock. They didnt do much to advertise it did they? It was probably word of mouth through forums like we are doing with the EVO.

Rob

chronohunter

iTrader: (1)

Tested at Homestead Speedway in January against a SVT Focus, Civic Si, Jetta 1.8t, BMW 330i, Porsche Boxter. Dodge internal program. Did many, many launches in the SRT-4 0-60 in 5.72 seconds (88 degrees F., damn hot for Jan in Fla.!). Car was from the press fleet, preproduction, have since tested production version and it's just as quick.

Cool tech bit on the SRT-4 turbo...the wastegate is regulated by an internal map that calculates touque! not psi. It looks for 250lbft
them opens the wastegate. That means on a hot day (and/or high altitude) you will make MORE boost (to get to the 250lbft). Systems that use psi will lose horsepower as air density goes down, the SRT-4 compinsates by turning the boost up.

a bit off topic...Does anyone know of a boost controler (or engine management system) that regulates boost the same way? It would be a huge advantage where I live (7100ft). It doesn't hurt the motor to do this because it's simply compensating for the lower air density. I run 21psi (ported big 16 turbo, front mount etc.) on 91oct here with no detonation. I would probably granade the motor if I try that kind of boost at sea level

SRT-4 is definatly an overachiever (for about 20k) but still not half the car the EVO is, you have to factor in the handling as well, too much talk of drag racing (not that there is anthing wrong with drag racing there is just more to an EVO that straight line stuff ).

Coolguy949

iTrader: (10)

Maybe the new Greddy Profec e-01 and emanage system?

www.greddy.com has info on it. It doesnt come cheap though. It seems like a very cool boost controller!

Rob